Pressure reducing valve



Oct. 4, 1949, G. wElss I 2,483,954

RESSURE REDUCING VALVE I -Filed March 25, 1947 v 2 sheets-sheet 1r INVENTUR. GERHART WE/SS A T Top/vf ys Oct. 4, 1949.

G. wElss v PRESSURE REDUCING VALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 25, 1947 lllvI/N'TOR. GERHART WE/ss l I /LZW vl 0h/z,

ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 4, 1949 *U 1T ED S TAT OFF-PCE This invention relates to 1a 'constant .pressure -valve. More @particularly it relates to a valve 'adapted to receive a i 'id from vva Vvarying high pressure source and deliver the fluid -to a :iiuid employing mechanism at a substantially .con- 'stairt lower pressure.

An object of this invention is to produce a val-Ve :of v4a Lsimple construction which is ladapted yto reduce 'the 4pressure of compressed gases to a substantially-constant value. n

Another AAob'jeetpf tne'invention is to `produce a AValve adapted to `reduce lthe vpressure -of come Ipressed or ligui'ed Kgases 'contained 1in `cylinders 'in which the pressure varies as 'the cylinder -is exhausted-so as Eto obtain a substantially constant delivery pressure.

Another object 'of the "invention cis to `vprovide 'a reducing pressure `valve in which lzal-flexible deliv- 4ery tube, through :which a iluid passes, aotuates the valve to 'control the delivery vpressure 'of the f Afluid. Y l

These 4cib-jects Iand othersanoillary thereto are obtained by providing a iieXible tube `tlnough 'which the fluid to be controlled is passed `and by 'providing a long surface area of the tube in the low press-ure vto actuate Aa :lever 'which operates aV kni'eedge to pinch the tube and-adjust -the fluidsupply to thereby obtain a substantially constant uid delivery pressure.

'The device is useful Wherever itis round fdesir- I;

'able to reduce or control the pressure of a-gas or `liuid. For example, lin `employing l'compressed gases to actuate small air-motors such-as'the air motor described and claimed "in 'my copending application No. "6853218 'iiled Vu'ly 20, Y1946, compressed gas is fed from a cylinder to a gas motor. By inserting the valve o the present invention between the Vcylinder `and the "motor a constant pressure supply to the motor is obtained. 'When this is done the motor `runs for a longer period of time on a given supply offgasbecause an excessive supply oi gas .to the motor at the start ofthe run due .to the initial 'high ,pressuregof gasin `the cylinder is prevented. When employing gas stored in cylinders `to run ,mechanical equipment the gas 'is originally under a very highrpressure which must 'be reduced to ,prevent excessive loss .of energy. Where gases are to be employed in chemical reactions or Where oxygen is to be supplied to Aan Oxygen tent itis sometimes necessary 'to Ireduce the pressure to a reasonable and cons'tant value. The 'device of this invention can be .employed v:for .such ,purposes The device ,can also 'be .employed Lto regulate 'the supply o other iui'ds such as liquids.

The novel features characteristic of this I.irl-viention are set forthwith ,fpantic-ularity win the appended claims. The Tinvention itself, however, sboth A:as .te .its ergamization fand its method of advantages thereo, will best Ybe 4 understood V from v'the following :description of specific embodiments inicomieotion with the-accompanying drawings .in which `Figure 1 iis :a top Ipl'anivieyv of one form .of the iatwention. Y

2 is ia )side .cross sectional view :of ,Figairle 'l.

Figure 2A isa detail perspective view -of one .partici the :dex/ice.

Figure .I3 lis a :section taken on line 3--3 of Fig- 1111652.

'Figure 4 is La :section l.on ilne -li-l fof Figx-ure f2.

'Figure 55 'isea-n exploded View of a 'modified type of valye.

Figure'i is the lView of the device -of Figure 5 Lexamfpled.

vFigure i? l'is a 'view of :another modification.

fthe :drawings ftheltube 'fl t 'iis .supported onLthe high pressure :side iby the cotton fabric-sleeve fl'l. lThe valve through which the tube extends has a -leottom'portion 4l3,"aftop lll andsides I5 .and ilf. The Atop '.Ejand sides E5 and IE are preferably lmade in one piece vand the lower portion fof the sides I5 land lli vcontains adeten'ts Ili8, lll, 2-0, 2| and "22. These detents are insertable `through :slots in the bottom 123 and can Vfbe :bent overito attach the'lbottom Ito the sides. -Sl'ots 23-26 are shown inFigure "l, A flange 2l may extend be- -yond the sides `liaznd fl' 'to enable theV device to be attached to a "framework "-Ihebottorn 1'3 contains an indented portion @Il 'indented toward 'the inside Ior the valve for 4Vreasons lto loe-described.

A chamber lis forrn'ed in the valve by a'ixing the inverted fel-'shaped Apiece 3l (see Figure 2A) itc the bottoni. 'This-inverted U.shaped piece 3l is attached to the bottom VVat 32, 3s and to the indented portion t at 'et and 35. The angle ypiece 'tl `is thus rigidly 'fixed to the bottom 13. This .inyerted LJ-shaped 'piece Si -encloses a attened portion of the ntube vWithin Athe valve. 'The vend 'of the 'inverted U-shaped piece Si Vhas a turned over end 3 6 -and -an up-turned notch -31V which forms 'a relatively simple hinge for the lever dll to Y'be described below. The inverted U- shaped piece Sl also has an extending portion '38 of ,slightly-reduced 'size Aagainst which the tube Fil vis 'adapted tobepressed.

'The Vyalve 'is actuated by *the llever si! which `is a relatively long channel piece containing the sides 45 and 46. These sides 45 and 46 are for the purposes of strengthening the lever, but it it obvious that other strengthening means may be employed. The lever 40 is bent slightly at 4I and adjacent the bent portion is a depending portion 42 containing an orifice 43. The tube I0 and the end 38 of the inverted U-shaped piece 3| are adapted to extend through the orifice 43. One end of the lever 40 has an orifice 44 which is adapted to be pressed into the lip-turned notch 31 so that the fulcrum of the lever 40 is formed by the hinge elements 3S and 3l of the angle piece 3|.

The lever 4t is pressed downwardly by any suitable elastic means such as the spring 5S. The spring 50 is adjustably held by a washer 5| which can be pressed downwardly by turning the screw 53 in the nut 52 which is attached to the top I4.

The other end of the spring 5e is held on the button projection 4'! of the lever.

The valve operates as follows:

The fluid comes in at high pressure through the fabric supported end Il and leaves at the other end of the valve. The tube .is flattened in the valve so that the chamber in the valve through which the tube passes is substantially filled with the tube. The high pressure side of the tube extends from the orifice 43 in the lever to the left as shown in Figure 2 and the low pressure :ii

side extends from the orice 43 to the right as shown in Figure 2. A considerable portion of the tube on the low pressure side presses against the lever 40. Increasing the pressure against the lever 40 on the low pressure side forces the lever to pivot about the fulcrurn at 35, 31 and raises the bottom portion of the slot 43 to pinch the tube against the extending portion 38 of the angle piece 3|. Since a large area of the low pressure part of the tube acts against the lever while the high pressure side acts only against the knife edge of the slot 43 the amount of fluid which passes through the tube is regulated by the pressure in the tube on the low pressure side.

This pressure can be adjusted to any desired value by the screw regulating means 53.

A turn off means and safety valve is also provided in the device of Figure 2. This comprises a long piece 3|' held in an indented portionl 50 of the tube I4 at 62 and containing a downi wardly extending angle at 53 which can be forced against the tube I0. The piece 6| contains a channel 64 in which a lever 61 is adapted to move. The top i4 contains indented bearings 65 and 66 adapted to hold the extending ends 10, and 7| of the lever 51. By moving the lever 6l from the point shown in full lines in Figure 2 to the position shown in the dotted lines, the supply of fluid to the valve is shut off. Since the piece BI is made of spring metal and since the channel 64 is spaced from the angle |53 the device also acts as a safety valve. If the pressure in the tube on the high pressure side of the angle 63 becomes too great the angle 03 will be sprung up even though the lever 61 is in the position shown in the dotted lines of Figure 2.

A modification of the device is shown in Figures 5 and 6. This device vcomprises a top box-like portion and a bottom IUI. These two parts are attachable by cleats |02, |03, insertable in the slots |04, and |06. The bottom |0| contains an angle portion |01 in which there is an orifice H0. The top box-like portion |00 contains a downwardly pressed knife edge |38. The tube from the supporting sleeve I I passes through a stiff chamber means which has an end |2| adapted to flatten the tube and a projecting portion |34 around which the tube is bent. The end |2| of the chamber |20 is adapted to extend into the box |00 just short of the knife edge |08. An emergency cut off means is also shown. The spring |3|I is attached to the box |00 by the rivet |32 and this has an end |33 adapted to be pushed against the high pressure side of the tube by the lever to act as a shutoff and safety valve.

The way in which the device of Figures 5 and 6 operates can be understood from an examination of Figure 6. The chamber |20 floats within the box |00. The fluid under pressure enters at the high pressure side containing a support I and leaves through the side containing the slot ||0. Increasing pressure on the low pressure .side pushes the chamber |20 upwardly so that the knife edge |08 presses against the tube I0 to decrease the amount of fiuid passing through the low pressure side. The end |34 of spring 53| acts against the pressure in the lower bend of the tube I0 to regulate the pressure. A screw may be provided in the top of boX |00 to adjust the position and the pressure in the spring end |34.

A very simply constructed valve modification is shown in Figure 7. In this figure the valve is built about a chamber of U-shaped across section |40. This U-shaped chamber holds the bent tube I0, and has a knife edge |4| and a spring portion |42 attached thereto. The upper portion of the tube I0 in Figure 7 includes the high pressure side and the tube adjacent the high pressure side contains two stiff sleeves |44 and |45. The ends of these two sleeves are spaced apart at the point where the knife edge I4! is attached and the sleeves |44 and |45 are flattened near the ends which are adjacent as shown at |46 and |47. Increase in pressure on the low pressure side of the tube pushes against the stiff sleeves |44 and |45 forcing that por tion of the tube between the sleeves against the knife edge |4I. The sleeves |44 and |45 are forced downward by the elastic spring material |50 and |5| of the double leaf spring |42 which is attached to the U-shaped chamber only at its center portion.

Although certain specific 'embodiments of this invention have been shown and described, it will be understood that many modifications thereof are possible. This invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a valve for reducing and regulating the pressure of a fluid to be delivered to a fluid operated device, the structure comprising a iiexible tube having a high pressure side to which fluid under relatively high pressure is adapted to be fed and a low pressure side which is connectable to a fluid operated device, a movable stiff member associated with a considerable length of the low pressure side of the tube so that increase in pressure on the low pressure side causes the stiff member to be moved by expansion of the tube, means for regulating the supply of fluid located between the low pressure side and the high pressure side of the tube, and means associated with the movable member to operate the fluid regulating means.

2. In a valve for reducing and regulating the pressure of a fluid to be delivered to a fluid operated device, the structure comprising a flexible tube having a high pressure side to which fluid under relatively high pressure is adapted to be fed and a low pressure side which is connectable to a uid operated device, a movable stiff member associated with a considerable length of the low pressure side of the tube so that increase in pressure on the low pressure side causes the stiif member to be moved by expansion of the tube, a knife edge member between the low pressure side and the high pressure side of the tube, means for holding the knife edge member so that movement of the movable stiff member caused by a change in pressure on the low pressure side of the tube causes the knife edge to pinch the tube and regulate the amount of fluid being fed to the low pressure side.

3. In a valve for reducing and regulating the pressure of a fluid to be delivered to a fluid operated device, the structure comprising a flexible tube having a high pressure side to which fluid under relatively high pressure is adapted to be fed and a low pressure side which is connectable to a fluid operated device, a, housing surrounding a portion of said tube, a movable stiff member associated with a considerable length of the low pressure side of the tube within said housing so that increase in pressure on the low pressure side causes the stiff member to be moved by expansion of the tube, a knife edge member between the low pressure side and the high pressure side of the tube, means for holding the knife edge member so that the low pressure side of the tube causes the knife edge to pinch the tube and regulate the amount of fluid being fed to the low pressure side.

4. In a valve for reducing and regulating the pressure of a fluid to be delivered to a fluid operated device, the structure comprising a flexible tube having a high pressure side to which fluid under relatively high pressure is adapted to be fed and a low pressure side which is connectable to a fluid operated device, a housing surrounding a portion of said tube, a tube enclosing member rigidly attached to said housing at the end thereof which surrounds the high pressure side of the tube, a lever pivotally connected at its fulcrum to said tube enclosing member and having one side extending along a considerable portion of the low pressure side of the tube, and atube pinching means associated with said lever whereby movement of the lever by expansion or contraction of the low pressure side of the tube regulates the ow of fluid to the low pressure side of the tube.

5. In a valve for reducing and regulating the pressure of a fluid to be delivered to a fluid operated device, the structure comprising a flexible tube having a high pressure side to which fluid under relatively high pressure is adapted to be fed and a low pressure side which is connectable to a fluid operated device, a housing surrounding a portion of said tube, a tube enclosing member rigidly attached to said housing at the end thereof which surrounds the high pressure side of the tube, a lever pivotally connected at its fulcrurn to said tube enclosing member and having one side extending along a considerable portion of the low pressure side of the tube, means forcing the lever against the low pressure portion of the tube, and a tube pinching means associated with said lever whereby movement of the lever by expansion or contraction of the low pressure 6 side of the tube regulates the flow of fluid to the low pressure side of the tube.

6. In a valve for reducing and regulating the pressure of a fluid to be delivered to a fluid operated device, the structure comprising a flexible tube having a high pressure side to which fluid under relatively high pressure is adapted to be fed and a low pressure side which is connectable to a iiuid operated device, a housing surrounding a portion of said tube, a tube enclosing member rigidly attached to said housing at the end thereof which surrounds the high pressure side of the tube, a lever pivotally connected at its fulcrum to said tube enclosing member and having one side extending along a considerable portion of the low pressure side of the tube, means forcing the lever against the low pressure portion of the tube, and a knife edge connected to said lever adapted to pinch the tube against a portion of the chamber whereby movement of the lever by expansion or contraction of the low pressure side 0f the tube regulates the flow of fluid to the low pressure side of the tube.

'7. In a valve for reducing and regulating the pressure of a huid to be delivered to a fluid operated device, the structure comprising a flexible tube having a high pressure side to which fluid under relatively high pressure is adapted to be fed and a low pressure side which is connectable to a fluid operated device, a housing surrounding a portion of said tube, a movable sti member within the housing associated with a considerable length of the low pressure side of the tube so that increase in pressure on the low pressure side causes the stiff member to be moved by eX- pansion of the tube, a knife edge attached to said housing so that expansion of the low pressure side of the tubing moves the tube against the knife edge.

8. In a valve for reducing and regulating the pressure of a fluid to be delivered to a fluid operated device, the structure comprising a flexible tube having a high pressure side to which fluid under relatively high pressure is adapted to be fed and a low pressure side which is connectable to a fluid operated device, a housing surrounding a portion of said tube, which is bent upon itself, a movable stiif member within said housing and between the bent portions of the tube, one of said bent portions of the tube including the high pressure side and the other bent portion consisting of a portion of the low pressure side of the tube, the low pressure side of the bent tube bearing against the wall of the housing so as to move the movable stiff member upon a change of the pressure therein, the high pressure side of the bent tubing being held away from the wall of the housing by a knife edge so that movement of the movable member by aV change in pressure in the low pressure bent portion of the tube moves the other portion of the tube toward or away from the knife edge.

GERHART WEISS.

REFERENCES CTED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date '726,962 Metzger May 5, 1903 994,167 Koppitz June 6, 1911 1,120,002 Walquist Dec. 8, 1914 

